Heineken Cup - It is getting even tighter at the top

With the Blues set to play Castres this Friday night in the Heineken Cup Round 2, the evidence is, after a record breaking opening round the tournament is getting tighter and tighter.

Seven of the 12 Round 1 games ended within the seven point margin needed for a losing bonus point - a record high for the competition since bonus points were first introduced in the 2003/04 season.

In the previous 42 Pool rounds over the last seven seasons the most losing bonus points secured in a round were six on four occasions (Rd2 09/10; Rds 4 & 6 08/09; Rd 3 04/05).
But not only were there a record seven matches that saw the losers taking something out of the game, but the points difference between the teams in those matches was a mere 24.
Two games were won by a single point and another by two.

Across the 12 games over the opening weekend there was only a points difference of 96 between the winning and losing teams, an average gap of only eight points per match.

The losing bonus points in Round 1 were registered in the following matches:

Cardiff Blues face Newport Gwent Dragons in a massive 'all-Welsh' European Rugby Challenge Cup quarter-final at Rodney Parade in April - and the region is now pleased to announce that tickets are on General Sale NOW!

Egg-cellent news! Our Cardiff Blues Rugby Camps return this Easter to give children right across our region the opportunity to participate in rugby during the holidays - and after selling out our last two camps you can book NOW to avoid any disappointment!

Cardiff Blues will be celebrating St David's Day when the region faces Edinburgh Rugby at BT Sport Cardiff Arms Park on Sunday afternoon (kick-off 12.45pm) - with hundreds of children invited as part of our Regional Schools Day.

Fine footwear retailer The Brogue Trader - one of the official sponsors of Cardiff Blues - is celebrating after being recognised by the British Footwear Association at its annual Footwear Industry Awards.

A powerful second half surge from new table-toppers Munster Rugby saw the run in three tries and wrap up victory over Cardiff Blues as the Guinness PRO12 season resumed at the newly-developed Irish Independent Park.